By Francis Sardauna
The Katsina State Government has commenced the training of 1,000 youths across the state on business development and entrepreneurship skills in order to avert youths unemployment and restiveness in the state.
The five-day training for the unemployed youths in the state, which commenced in Katsina Senatorial zone on Monday, is expected to hold in Daura and Funtua zones respectively.
Speaking during the flag-off of the training at the state Local Government Service Commission, Governor Aminu Bello Masari said the training became imperative considering the upsurge in the number of unemployed youths in the country.
The governor reiterated that the startup training would go a long way in building entrepreneurial spirit in youths and preparing them towards self-sustaining activities rather than to be job seekers.
Masari, represented by the Commissioner for the Ministry for Rural Development, Hon. Mustapha Kanti Bello, said the training is being carried out by the ministry under its Rural Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization Programme (KARIER).
He said: “Katsina State Rural Infrastructure and Economic Revitalization Programme is an initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development to look at some of the social problems that we are having in our rural communities which can be associated with youths unemployment.
“Part of what we are doing is to see how we can train our youths in business skills as well as to access funds for them so that they can become employers of labour instead of waiting for government to employ them where jobs are not readily available.
“Apart from the training, we will also develop business plan for them and try to get funds for them and to monitor their business throughout its life circle. The training is for five days; two days physical and three days virtue because of Covid-19 pandemic.”
The funds, he said, would be accessed for them from various federal government empowerment and social intervention programmes such as Youth Development Funds and others.
